General Chat

Two of the blackbirds eggs have hatched in the Clematis.

Just did a post and it disappeared :-|

Lovely to have so many bird families nesting round you Mel. Judging by your pictures of Percy and Prunella you may have a pigeon family soon too.

OH is barely any better. Doc is coming again this morning and, depending on what he says, we may be making arrangements to fly home. Some holiday :-(

Ho hum, onwards and upwards

Good morning to you all,

Oh Vera, what a lot of worry and heartache you are going through, I imagined you would be thinking along the lines of giving up, and coming home. Both of you must be so disappointed that your holiday, that you both have been looking forward too, has turned out to be such a disaster. I do hope the Dr. can make your OH more comfortable.

Sorry Jane, Senior moment for me, The two FEMALE puppies have been found homes. It has also been decided that the male and Lola will go also. It's would be most difficult for Conrad to care for Lola, when he is on his own. He works long hours and can't be sure he could get home every lunchtime to fed and care for her. I am so proud of what he has done, for her and the puppies. I am sure the Vet will help in the arrangements of finding happy homes for them.

Ros said that Val next door kept dropping off to sleep, while they were visiting, and calling for Tony. She is looking very very frail. :-( :-( :-( She was asleep for the first half hour they sat by the bed.

We arrived at the restaurant around 6.50 pm. They haven't made reservations for us coming, nor reserved our ROAST BEEF. which was sold out. They did find us a table as it was getting late for meals, and bought us the first round of drinks, as an apology.
To say the least I was very disappointed, the way they just passed over the fact that they had not reserved our table, and beef. I think this might make me decide I may not be going back there for SOME TIME TO COME. !!! Fortunately next Sunday we are going to the CROMWELL COTTAGE, with Simon and Sally.

Senior moment again, I can;t remember was has been said on the thread since yesterday. I will try to catch up later. xx

Have to go, as Ros has to be at the hospital for mid-day, and I am still in my dressing gown. Bye for now,

Morning Vera and All,

Maybe for tthe best Vera. such a shame it happened the week you are away but I think you said he was achey while at home. There is nothing like your own doctor and home when feelling under the weather though. I do hope the doc can help this morning with more relaxants or painkillers.

We have a dry brightish windy start to the day here. I just hope it stays dry so I can get inthe garden again.

Oh is still hobbling around and grunting as they do.

Morning All,

Dull this morning with a bit of sun peeping through now so the washer is on again. I got 4 loads done yesterday so it's just the last of the bedding now. The bit of breeze has already dried the load that was pegged out this morning.

Vera, I keep saying it, but what a shame about your holiday. If you do have to fly home maybe the travel insurance will pay at least some of the cost. Maybe the doctor will be able to help though.

Ha ha Mel, you know what all that kissing will lead to..........lots more Pigeons! They do look cute, but they do more than kissing on our back fence! :-0 Now there is always about a dozen sitting on top of the hedge just inside the field at the back.

Just been and put more ties on the cue and toms in the greenhouse.......they grow so fast don't they!

I'm sewing the Angel together today so should soon be able to send a pic. My other job now I've replied to the researcher is to get on with the request for our council tax band to be reviewed. OH says I can keep the money if we get any so that's a good incentive considering he pays it!

Oh Frank how disappointing after you had made all the arrangements and asked about the beef too! Poor Val doesn't sound good at all.

Oh dear Frank. What a disappointing meal out for you, particularly when you had taken the trouble to book a table and pre-book the roast beef. I feel angry for you. Conrad has been so kind to look after the dogs. I am sure he will be upset to see them go but it’s the right decision for the dogs’ sake.

Doc has been - a different one from the same group. He has kept OH on the previous tablets but added a steroid and a strong painkiller. On his report he wrote that OH should not continue the trip but he was fit to fly. That’s gone off to the insurance people and their medical team make a decision. When they give the OK they will arrange a flight home. So we are now waiting to hear from them.

Jane, when does Hannah start her new job? I wish her well. We have a bit of good news for a change as my daughter also has a new job to start in September. She will be a sort of flying problem fixer for 15 schools in an academy trust. Before she applied she read out to me the qualifications needed and it was exactly her - experience in teaching, leadership, arranging curriculums, child protection etc. At the end of her interview she was asked if she wanted to say anything and came out with “If you employ me don’t expect a yes man. If I think your decisions are wrong I WILL challenge you”. Obviously they were happy with that. Her first job is to go to a large comprehensive with leadership issues and she has been warned that she may be there up to a year as they have real problems.

Mel I hope your OH’s pains ease soon (and you can be spared the grunting :-)).

It sounds as though your angel cum fairy is getting along well Ann. I’m looking forward to seeing a picture.

I hope the weather is good for you all so you can get on with gardening, hot tubbing, going in your swimming pools and so on. Is it raining in the Lakes AnninG? My son was at uni in Carlisle and says if it isn’t raining there, it’s about to. I have memories of some very wet holidays in the Lake District. I am sure you will enjoy being with family whatever the weather.

Yesterday we went down to the bar where OH has some breaded chicken strips with potato salad and rocket and I had a cheese and ham toastie. They brought in a dining chair for him to sit on rather than their low chairs. The staff here are wonderful, nothing is too much trouble and it’s all done with a smile. Anyway I am now going out to see what I can find for today’s lunch.

Bye for now

Well I don't know whether to say thats good news or not Vera. Good in that oh has more meds but not if you have to cut your holiday short and come home. I hope these new meds help him and he can feel more comfortable. <3

I can't wait to see this angel Fairy as I can't imagine what its like.

Yes my pigeons have loads of babies during the year. I have a nest in the box hedge and one in the red maple over oh's pond. Two of their favorite places. I like to see them kissing in the tree and they dance on the road and coo to each other. Percy comes down for corn when its time to corn the chickens and eats with the two pheasents who also know what the time is.

Must get the washing on the line and then do some lunch as I am hungry.

Just went to check the posting and got the Error Page!!

Back home from Ros's check up. ANOTHER WATER INFECTION, Two more types of Anti-Biotics. We stopped at the hospitals Cafe for a coffee and sandwich, which was better than I thought it would be.

Ros dropped me home, and went round to Carolyn's to BLACK HER NOSE. They are having John's office extended which will also include an extension to the bathroom, and part of a bedroom upstairs. With the size of the house already, I do not understand why they need an extension. More money than sense, comes to mind.

Harvey is getting another kitten this week, a different breeder but the same breed of CAT. He will have his hands full with two of them.

Gill did you get the shot of the kitten alright. Harvey said he will send more, so don't hold your breath.

Conrad has had sent to me a POLO SHIRT in the WEST HAM COLOURS and the clubs logo across the pocket. Looking at it it should fit, I will try it later.

What's the latest Vera, ?? I hope it's good news for you both. xxx

Mel, when we kept racing pigeons the cocks would fan out their tails and chase the hens around the garden. We would have anything up to two dozen chicks a year, some we would keep, the others SELL to other fanciers.

Ros has decided to go in the garden to do a bit of tidying up, the weeds are certainly starting to take over, and I assume the tomato's need some water again, with all this rainy weather, you tend to forget the greenhouse, well I do. !!!!

What we will eat tonight I just don't know. After those sandwiches in the hospital, I am not at all hungry.

Vera it is probably for the best if you come home, nothing like your own place and bed if you are not well. Hopefully you can have another holiday sometime when things are fixed

Frank, that is appalling service, despite the free drinks.. did the person who took the call not pass it on? I would write to the manager asking for an explanation and saying you have no intention of returning. Is it a chain or an individual place.

Sunny and windy here today with blue skies and some clouds. We took the train to Grange Over Sands. Daughters bungalow is right by the train station. So very convenient. It was lovely if a bit brisk walking by the sea at Grange and they really do their flower beds along the promenade well.. we had a coffee at one cafe and then lunch at another. T had a sausage bap with really big local sausages, I had cheese on toast, we then walked round and sat for a while by the duck pond although we noticed there were not many ducks this time. Then caught the train home. Walked 2.5 miles altogether.

Ann, I laughed when I saw Grange over Sands. It reminded me of a wet week we spent there in the 1970s. My kids named it Grange over Mud and we’ve known it as that ever since.

I am feeling a bit down at the moment. OH has just rung the insurance company, or at least the European Assistance company they contract out to, and was told our case is still with the medical team but they usually only sanction a flight home if it is a real medical emergency and the patient can’t be treated in the country, so may not agree to us going home at their cost. So we are in limbo. We have to leave this hotel on Wednesday but he can only shuffle a few yards before he has to sit down. He can’t possibly get through stations with escalators etc, on to a train, then a car, then a coach with walking between them and me trying to deal with 2 suitcases and 2 carry-on bags! So I have no idea what is going to happen.

Wait and see time, but we are running out of time.

Afternoon All

Oh goodness Vera you are in a bit of limbo arent you.I wonder if a wheelchair and assistance could be arranged for you at the airport at both ends .It really sounds like you are going to have to fork out for your flights home doesn't it. Have you looked at flights at all yet?
Poor OH needs to be home I feel.This is going to be a very expensive non holiday :-S :-S. The stress you must have both be under must be dreadful.

Congratulations to your Daughter :-D.. My word she sounds like she is going to have her work cut out for her in this new post !!!. Love her comment on "not to expect a yes Man" :-D :-D Get in there and no nonsense :-D :-D I wish her all the best.

Frank, sorry that Ros has yet another water infection. I thought that this problem had been sorted ? It must make her fell pretty miserable. What appalling sevice you had. No table and no Beef !!!!!! Have you thought of writing a review on Trip Advisor or if they have their own website?

I have never been to Grange Over Sands. But have heard of it. The Prom sounds very pretty with all the flowers :-D... I did smile when I read how when you arrived yesterday you emptied the cat little trays and put the Chicken in :-D Good old Mum :-D

Lovey Dovey Pigeons Mel :-D Ours are always canoodling on the top of the trellis and doing a bit more than that too ;-) Now I have moved the window feeder away from the house we have a cleaner patio :-)

Looking forward to seeing the finished Angel Ann. Are you pleased with her?

Tomorrow Chris is out for lunch with Sue and Fitz and me are going down to the Red Lion . This will be our last get together for a while .He has his hip done a week this Wednesday and me the following day. Yikes it is getting close now :-0

Chicken Tonight (Country French ) I have added extra mushrooms and thin sliced carrots. Rice and a bag of Spring Greens to go with it.
James was going to be going to see Johnny's Mum as she is not well but he has just messaged to say she is not up to it . It is a bit worrying as he thinks she might have been diagnosed with some Degenerative thing :-( I really hope that is notthe case. She is such a lovely lady and does all this amazing work for Johnny's Happy Place.

Have I missed Gill here today? I must have a scroll back through all the posts.

I was a happy girl yesterday . I found my engagement ring that I have not worn for years as it was too tight...It fits so is back in its rightful place once again :-D :-D

Oh dear Vera, that is the trouble with insurance it all has to be black and white. Could you have a letter from the doctor stating that your oh is unable to travel on and therefore that part of the holiday is cancelled. Then if you cancel it could you maybe find a hotel to stay on there to give the medication time to work? Other than that I don’t know what to suggest. And claim for cancellation of the second part of the holiday. Surely it can be treated as two holidays. You may have to go it alone and fight the claim when you get home if the insurer won’t play but the doctor backs you up. But you are still left handling the cases etc.

Vera would you be able to stay on where you after Wednesday if needs be?
Surely if the insurance people know that OH is not mobile they should surely be able to make sure to have at least assisted help to get to the airport ,help at the airport and the same the other end.Even if they refuse to pay for the flight.


Lovely evening here .I thought it was tonight we were getting rain and thunder . But it looks like that it tomorrow.

Thank you all for your support. If I have a moan on here then I can stay more cheerful with Bob. Ann, the doctor that came this morning wrote on his report that OH shouldn’t continue on the holiday but was fit to fly home. He drew a box round it and put a large exclamation mark against it. We emailed it straight off to the insurance people and it went to their medical team. They are the ones who decide apparently.

We booked through Inghams who have an agent in Austria. He’s not in Vienna but we have spoken to him on the phone and, if necessary, he will help us sort out what flights are available and I can ask him to help us get assistance at the airport. He did say that in his experience insurance people are really last minute with these sort of decisions.

Jane, I had the same idea as you and checked at reception earlier. They say they will be able to accommodate us for a few more days, though we might have to change rooms. I think I will email the insurance people first thing in the morning as I am not convinced they have really taken in that we are supposed to moving to another area or understand the difficulty of the journey

On the plus side, OH said the new painkiller has helped a little. He managed to walk about 80 yards to a restaurant tonight, though it was a struggle, and we had a really nice meal.

Now I must email my kids as I promised to keep them up to date. I must word it carefully as I don’t want to worry them too much.

Oh Vera what a predicament to be in. It makes you wonder what travel insurance is for when this is the reaction. It's when you are in a spot like this and stressed that you need support and help too. At least it sounds as if the wheels are starting to turn to get the help you need and it's nice the hotel has been good. I bet your hubby is pleased to be getting even a slight relief with the extra meds and it will have done you good to be able to manage to go for a meal.

Well done your daughter. She sounds just the sort of person they need in the brave new world of Acadamies and Trusts. OH does clerking for several schools and acadamies and also a Trust Board. He is very much on the ball and no shrinking violet when he hears nonsense! Schools are feeling the winds of change now.

Oh I would love some extensions! lol. A nice kitchen diner with room for a tv and sofa and bifold doors. I'd hardly use the lounge then. A walk in wardrobe with a place for everything. That would do me for starters!

Frank can I see the kitten too please? That's a shame Ros has another water infection. Fingers crossed it's something I have never had up to now, but have heard they make you feel quite unwell. Hopefuly the antibiotics will soon work.. It's for the best really if Conrad can't spend enough time looking after Lola. At least he did his best for her and her puppies though. Both of my grandfathers had racing pigeons. It used to be very popular years ago.

That's handy having the train station so handy AnnG. Those flower beds sound really nice. It's always uplifting to see them isn't it.

I've gone cross-eyed sewing some of the fairy together and broken a bead........now I know why we were also given finer needles as well as the usual ones!! I decided to sit in the conservatory as the light is good in there, but had to open the door as well as the windows as it was so hot. Next thing I knew was a gust of wind blowing my beat mat across the table and after I put it back I realised I'd lost the fairy's HEAD. (larger bead) Much searching on the floor and I spotted it thank goodness. She's half sewn together now and is only a few inches high but I don't think I will be doing another as it's fiddly to do. She has no arms and can either go on top of one of my little Christmas trees or stand on a shelf somewhere. My friend who went with me said they would be nice in front of place settings for Christmas, but I bet she will have changed her mind by the time she's done just one! :-D

Mel is the hot tub helping with your OH's hip?

I could hear little Fleur nextdoor playing with a squeaky toy when I was in the conservatory. It just sounded like an episode of 'Sooty'.

OH came up with another thing you don't hear anymore.....'get knotted'.

Vera have you thought about contacting the British Embassy in Vienna to see if they can offer advice or assistance. Perhaps the Embassy could help to organise a flight and transport to the airport etc.

You won't forget this holiday in a hurry thats for sure. I do feel so for you and am sending love. xx <3

I have been up the garden all afternoon with oh mowing and me strimming. He also cut all the bottom branches of the big Christmas tree on the west lawn. I have taken a few pics as it all looks so nice at the mo. I was going to do more on the border but did'nt get on there in the end. I strimmed all along the top wall to the right of the garden to the side and he had already mowed there and when he came back around he stopped the mower looked at me and promptly put his hands on his hips and frowned. It made me laugh and he had to go over the top bit again to pick up the mess I made.

Morning all

Bright and sunny here today, makes a nice change from all the rain we've had lately.

I wasn't online yesterday as I was decorating my mum's living room. I've been back there this morning to put all her furniture back in place, so I'm hot and sticky now. I'm going to have a bath and do a bit of washing, so I can peg it outside while the weather is nice.

I'll catch up with all the posts later.

Reading about what the British Embassy will and won’t do I don’t think they will help Mel, but I will keep them in mind as a last resort.

I have emailed the insurance people giving them the full details of this holiday and explaining that we are supposed to be moving to Zell am See tomorrow. I’ve told them of the difficulties of the journey, and the low level of mobility OH has. I’ve also told them that we have to be out of this hotel in the morning and asked them to hurry things along. I’m not holding my breath.

Ho hum, they say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Have a nice day everyone.

Love the picture of the kissing pigeons Mel.

Thanks for sending the email of Winston Frank, unfortunately the image didn't come through, could you send it again please? Sorry to hear you didn't get your beef in the end. Poor Ros with another water infection, lets hope the meds work quickly for her.

Pleased to see you have found your engagement ring Jane and it fits nicely. OH is going for him operation on the same day as Fitz.

Sorry to hear about your OH Vera, but at least the pain killers are kicking in a bit now so you managed to get out for a meal. I hope the insurance do something to help soon. How nice for your daughter to get the job. I like what she said to them and it seemed to work, they must of been impressed with her.

The beds of flowers sound lovely AnnG. That's handy having the train so close, so long as it's not to noisy when you're trying to sleep at night.

Looking forward to seeing a picture of your fairy Ann, it sounds like you've worked very hard on her. Good luck with your Council Tax.

Washing finished so I'll go and peg it out now.